MMPI-2

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MMPI-2

• William P. Wattles, Ph.D.
• Francis Marion University

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MMPI-2 with Adolescents

• Should not be used with people less than 18

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MMPI-2 with Older Adults

• Higher scores on
• 1, 2, 3, 0
• Lower scores on
• 4, 9
• MMPI-2 generally valid with older adults

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Studies with older adults

• Most studies cross-sectional
• Cohort factors
• One longitudinal study found similar results
• Differences do not suggest pathology but genuine
  concerns about health.
• Age-related changes in physical health

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Cohort Effects

• Patterns of disease frequency due to an exposure
  occurring to a group of people at about the same
  time in their lives

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MMPI-2 with Ethnic Minorities

• Assessing MMPI-2 and minorities
• Any difference bias
• Assess Validity

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Data on African-Americans

• Slightly higher scores on scales 8 9.
• Not seen when matched for demographics, ses
• Differences tend to be associated with relevant
  extratest characteristics.

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Explanation for differences

• Accurate measurement of different personality
  traits.

• Social desirability
• Role conflicts
• Modesty expectations
• Language/experience

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MMPI-2 with Ethnic Minorities

• No consistent differences across all populations

• Moderator variables such as education, income,
  age, and type of pathology explain most
  differences.

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MMPI-2 with Hispanics

• Differences between groups relatively small and
  not statistically or clinically significant.
• Language and reading obviously an issue.

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Medical Patients

• Large Mayo clinic study suggests that medical
  problems alone do not result in elevated
  profiles.

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Screening for Substance Abuse

• Elevated Scale 4
• Mac Andrews Scale
• AAS
• APS
• Beware false negatives

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MMPI-2 and employment screening

• Screen for psychopathology
• Limited to sensitive occupations
• Air traffic controller
• Police officer
• Nuclear power plant operator
• Predict quality of job performance
• Negative work attitude scale interesting
• MMPI-2 Not recommended

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MMPI-2 and employment screening

• Applicants usually defensive.
• Invalid profile for defensiveness should not be
  cause to disqualify.
• Thus, scores above 65 meaningful
• 60-65 may indicate problems.

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Report writing

• Interpretive strategy
• Use MMPI-2 to generate hypotheses
• Not all interpretive data applies to each subject
• MMPI-2 deal in probabilities
• Blind interpretation problematic

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Report writing

• Test-taking attitude
• Missing items may indicate indecisiveness,
  ambivalence
• Long test times can mean indecisiveness,
  confusion
• Qualitative analysis of behavior
• Upset
• Atypical difficulties

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Report writing

• Test-taking attitude
• Yea-saying (TRIN)
• L scale naïve, global denial
• K scale defensive, self-critical

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Report Writing

• Adjustment Level
• Psychological comfort, overall elevation
• Scores above 65 suggest discomfort.
• Welshs Anxiety (A)
• Ego Strength (ES)

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Characteristic Functioning

• Symptoms
• Major needs
• Dependency, achievement
• Perceptions
• View of others and optimism
• Reactions to stress
• Coping style and effectiveness
• Self-concept

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Characteristic Functioning

• Sexual orientation
• Emotional control
• Interpersonal relationships
• Psychological resources

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Dynamics and Etiology

• Higher order inferences about underlying dynamics
  and cause

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Diagnostic Impressions

• MMPI-2 can be a tool in settling on a diagnosis
  if required for insurance etc.
• Diagnosis can be in the form of a symptom
  description.

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Treatment Implications.

• A primary goal of assessment is to make treatment
  recommendations.
• To treat or not
• Type of treatment
• Prognosis
• Receptiveness to treatment
• Motivation

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